Two suspects are in custody following the shooting, which happened at STEM School Highlands Ranch, a suburban charter school south of Denver.

Author: Allison Sylte

Published: 4:52 PM MDT May 7, 2019

Updated: 3:27 PM MDT May 8, 2019

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colorado — A student is dead and 8 others were injured following a shooting at a charter academy in Highlands Ranch Tuesday afternoon, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

The shooting was reported just after 1:50 p.m. at STEM School Highlands Ranch near South Ridgeline Boulevard and Plaza Drive. Law enforcement officers ran into the campus’ high school just as shots began to ring out in the quiet suburban Denver community.

“I can tell you it’s a unified effort from agencies all over the area,” Nicholson-Kluth said. “It’s a unified effort to get in there and get those kids out.”

Rocco DeChalk lives nearby and said his neighbor came to tell him there was a shooting victim down by his mailbox.

DeChalk said he saw a young teenage boy who had been shot in the back, as well as his friend and a teacher. DeChalk said he brought the boy inside and to call 911, but that he was coherent the entire time.

“He was talking, he seemed OK, we were even able to talk to his mom,” DeChalk said. “I’m pretty shaken up right now.”

Nyki Giasolli is the mother of two students at the school. She said both her son and daughter are OK.

“Numb, a little numb,” Giasolli said of her emotions. She was one of the parents who gathered at Northridge Recreation Center to reunite with their children. “I’m glad they’re both OK. It was a while before we knew my son was OK.”

Shooting reported at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Police officers and students are seen outside STEM School Highlands Ranch, a charter middle school in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colo., after a shooting Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (Courtney Harper via AP)

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A parent leads a child from a recreation center set up for students to get reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Police and others are seen outside STEM School Highlands Ranch, a charter middle school in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colo., after a shooting Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Authorities said several people were injured and a few suspects were in custody. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Parents head into a recreation center for students to get reunited with their parents after a shooting Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Parents hug as they wait for the arrival of their children at the recreation center where the students were reunited with their parents Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Armed police officers and others are seen outside STEM School Highlands Ranch, a charter middle school in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colo., after a shooting Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Authorities said several people were injured and a few suspects were in custody. (Courtney Harper via AP)

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Parents hug as they wait for their children at the recreation center where students were reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Parents gather in a circle to pray at a recreation center where students were reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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A parent leaves the recreation center where students were reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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A man carries a child out of a recreation center set up for students to get reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Students exit an ambulance at a recreation center for students to get reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Parents leave a recreation center with their child where students were reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Parents hug as they wait for their children at a recreation center where students were reunited with their parents Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Fire and police gather at the recreation center where students were reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Shooting scene at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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A law officer protects a busload of students as a bus arrives at the recreation center where students were reunified with their parents Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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A woman heads into a recreation center for students to get reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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A woman runs to a recreation center set up for students to get reunited with their parents after a shooting at a suburban Denver middle school Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Shooting scene at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Shooting scene at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Parents fight back tears as they wait for their children at a recreation center where students were reunited with their parents Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Shooting reported at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Shooting scene at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Shooting scene at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Shooting scene at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Shooting scene at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Shooting scene at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Shots have been fired at STEM School Highlands Ranch at South Ridgeline Boulevard and Plaza Drive

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Shooting reported at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Karla Smiley

Shots have been fired at STEM School Highlands Ranch at South Ridgeline Boulevard and Plaza Drive

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Courtesy Kayla via Twitter

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Karla Smiley

Shots have been fired at STEM School Highlands Ranch at South Ridgeline Boulevard and Plaza Drive

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Shooting reported at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Shooting reported at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Shooting scene at STEM School Highlands Ranch

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Armed police officers and others are seen outside STEM School Highlands Ranch, a charter middle school in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colo., after a shooting Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Authorities said several people were injured and a few suspects were in custody. (Courtney Harper via AP)

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Armed police officers are seen outside STEM School Highlands Ranch, a charter middle school in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colo., after a shooting Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Authorities said several people were injured and a few suspects were in custody. (Courtney Harper via AP)

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Armed police officers and others are seen outside STEM School Highlands Ranch, a charter middle school in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colo., after a shooting Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (Courtney Harper via AP)

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Police officers and students are seen outside STEM School Highlands Ranch, a charter middle school in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colo., after a shooting Tuesday, May 7, 2019. (Courtney Harper via AP)

9NEWS Reporter Katie Eastman was at the rec center, where she watched as students arrived in buses and embraced their waiting parents, some of whom ran a half a mile from the elementary where they were initially told to meet their children.

Parents had to show their IDs in order to reunite with their children at a school with more than 1,850 students from kindergarten to 12th grade.